Body found in landfill is missing teen

Skylar Bentley, 14, was reported missing last week

MOUNT GILEAD — A body found in a Crawford County landfill Tuesday has been identified as missing teenager Skylar Bentley.

According to Mount Gilead Police Chief Brian Zerman, Bentley’s family has been notified of the identification.

The Crawford County Coroner’s Office took the body to Lucas County for autopsy and identification. The cause of death has not been determined.

Bentley, 14, was last seen by family members about 9 p.m. Sunday as he was going to bed, according to police.

Zerman said Wednesday that no foul play is suspected. The department is continuing the investigation, he said.

Bentley was seen on a surveillance video jumping into a trash receptacle behind Mount Gilead Schools about 5:15 a.m., but was not seen climbing out before it was collected by a trash truck later that morning.

The boy’s mother reported him missing at 8 a.m. Monday.

“It’s just a very tragic event that, unfortunately, we may never have all the answers,” Zerman said.

Officers from various law enforcement agencies — including the Crawford and Morrow county sheriff’s offices, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Galion Police Department — searched the landfill throughout the day.

The body was found around 4:45 p.m.; the scene was cleared two hours later.

Shortly before 7 p.m., a spokesperson for Rumpke Waste & Recycling, a firm that operates the landfill, which is owned by Crawford County, issued a news release:

“This is a sad and tragic day,” said Randy Broadright, Rumpke safety manager. “Our thoughts and prayers are with anyone touched by this tragedy. We appreciate the dedication and commitment of all law enforcement involved in the search.”